The Dance
by Jedi Bubbles
Summary: A JZish song fic to Garth Brooks's The Dance. It's short and look inside for more details.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, all! I'm alive! Whoo! I've just been… busy. My original writing is attempting to monopolize all my time. For those of you who are waiting for Working On It's next post, good news. School is starting soon so I'll probably become motivated to do other things. Hopefully.

Summary: Zekk songfic. Mind you, it's a rather short one. It's to Garth Brooks's the Dance. Just to let you know, there's an extended version in which the ending has a bit more on it. So if you want to see that then just look at the next chapter. It's extremely short so don't expect much, 'kay?

_--------------_

The Dance

_Looking back on the memory of  
The dance we shared beneath the stars alone  
__For a moment all the world was right  
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye_

_  
_He sat on the edge of the roof and flicked the old-fashioned sound unit onto repeat. A sad, longing melody drifted out taking him back to years ago. He was eighteen, his love was sixteen. They slowly rocked back and forth with this song in the middle of a jungle.

He was taken back to the jungle that was so humid that you could drink the air. His hair stuck to his neck uncomfortably, as did the rest of his clothes. Her body heat didn't help matters, but there was no greater pleasure hefound than holding her. They both had sweat dripping down their brows, night air brushing past offering a slight respite from the heat.

She shifted and drew closer, wrapping her arms even tighter around his waist. Despite the heat, he welcomed her with an equal embrace. She rested her head a little under his left shoulder. They continued to sway back and forth even after the song had ended.

He wouldn't have missed it for the galaxy.

He was taken back to the Academy. He wasn't the one leaving this time. It was her. She was leaving for bigger and brighter things. The night before she left, he had woken her up and taken her out to the jungle one last time. They danced beneath the jungle one last time with the same wistful song in the background.

Another good-bye came to mind. They both decided to part ways. Things were different now. Things were painful. They had both said things they didn't mean, cutting away at each other. Yet, the night before he left, she had come to him and they danced under the glow of the planet's seven moons. She said good-bye, again, both knowing that they probably would never see the other again.

They did see each other again – in glimpses, flashes across rooms, and in passing greetings in hallways – until the ceremony where they were "officially" declared knights. He found her on the roof, waiting for him. If she felt his surprise she didn't mention it. Instead, she flicked on the song and they danced again.

He wouldn't have missed it for the galaxy.

_And now I'm glad I didn't know  
The way it all would end the way it all would go  
__But if I'd only known how the king would fall  
Hey who's to say you know I might have chanced it_ _all_

In some ways, he was happy he hadn't known what things would have come down to. He was happy with his memory of that untainted night in the jungle with nothing to separate them but the overwhelming heat and an irritable master. Things were better this way. It wouldn't have worked out. Or so he tells himself.

Even now, he feels he should have tried something, and yet is strangely satisfied with what he has. If he had known the ending, that night would have been poisoned, ruining one of his few moments of pure joy.

He was still stung by the other night so many years ago. The tainted one. One of their numerous partings but this one was done in anger, in pain. It had ruined it, that night couldn't be thought of without thinking of rejection, of loss. Her hurt, his hurt. Her anger, his anger. They blended together at this point.

He wouldn't have missed it for the galaxy.

_Holding you I held everything  
For a moment wasn't I a king  
__But if I'd only known how the king would fall  
Hey who's to say you know I might have chanced it_ _all_

The memory of holding her was brought forth. The simple joy that came from knowing that he had her for one dance. He could pretend hehad her for a few, short moments on that dance floor. He was the greatest man alive with her in his arms. He felt as if he could have single-handedly wiped out the Yuuzhan Vong in those few minutes.

After all, everything important in the galaxy was in his arms. Nothing could be better. Nothing. Even as she was getting married to another, he knew that she had been his, no matter how briefly. If he had known how everything would have fallen apart, he didn't really know what he would've done.

Would anything have changed? Would she be in his arms now? Or would he have decided to cut all ties with her? Leave to wander the galaxy aimlessly with no ties to home? So many "what ifs". So many possibilities.

_And now I'm glad I didn't know  
The way it all would end the way it all would go  
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain  
But I'd of had to miss the dance  
_

Yet, he knows that he wouldn't have missed it for the galaxy. The dance was his and his alone. If he changed something with the knowledge of the future, there many not have been a dance. They may not have met. There would have been no close camaraderie. No little moments where he was almost sure that she felt for him almost as strongly as he felt for her. He would have avoided the hurt that came with the joy.

The pain would have been avoided, that was certain. But was it worth it? It was all rather complicated. He would know moments of extreme pain and joy. If he skipped the pain that came with the dance, was it worth it? He didn't know. He didn't want to know. He'd rather have the dance.

_  
Yes my life is better left to chance  
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance_

"Zekk?"

He turned; surprised that he hadn't sensed her approach. She crept from the shadows, still wearing the pale green satin dress that taunted him with its meaning. He could no longer pretend she was his. The dance was over.

He wouldn't have missed it for the galaxy.


	2. Extendedness

Here is the extended version. The last line is in italics to help jog your memories just in case.

-----------

_He wouldn't have missed it for the galaxy._

"Yes, Jaina?" He couldn't hide the pain in his voice. The song had ended for them, never to be started, again. He would have to learn that, like he had been for the past seven years. He turned to look at her.

"You left," she whispered.

Hurt was plainly etched on her face. She took a few unsure steps towards him and the edge of the roof. In the background, the strains of the repeated song started up once more. A couple more steps and she was standing bare inches from him.

"I know."

As he watched her face become an impassive, cool mask again, he watched as she quietly listened to the song. After a few moments, she held out her hands. The corner of her mouth flicked up in the familiar lop-sided smile. "Dance?"

He obliged her, unfolding his long form from the roof's edge, and reaching out to tug her closer to him. As they gently swayed, he knew she belonged to another, and it was that other she should be with. Using her words from earlier, he whispered, "You left."

"I know," she responded, using his response. Her eyes looked up playfully at his but lost the gleam when she noticed his solemn expression.

"Why?" He ignored his foolish hope of a new dance. One that would be theirs, untainted by any bad memories.

"I realized that I didn't want to miss this dance," Jaina said. "I realized this is the dance I want, forever."

Without saying a word, he tugged her closer, still swaying to the music, his head buried into her hair. His lips curled into a smile. A new dance started.

The End.

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Oh, I don't own Star Wars. At all. It belongs to George Lucas. Lucky guy.


End file.
